The year is coming to a close, and we’ve compiled some of the best music moments from 2024 to share with you. Do you remember half of what happened this year? Here’s a refresher, featuring Chappell Roan’s meteoric rise to fame, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” takeover, Brat Summer, and Cowboy Carter, plus much more.
Videos by American Songwriter
Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman Perform “Fast Car” Duet at the GRAMMYs
At the 2024 GRAMMYs, Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman took the stage to deliver an emotional duet of Chapman’s hit “Fast Car,” which Combs covered in 2023. Recently, Combs’ cover won the CMA Award for Song of the Year, also earning Chapman the honor of being the first Black artist to win the award in CMA history. Before taking the stage at the GRAMMYs, Chapman hadn’t performed in public in three years. To see her back behind a guitar, performing alongside Combs who has talked about how much Chapman has inspired him, was nothing short of magical. For six minutes, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Of “Fast Car,” Luke Combs has previously stated that he first heard the song when he was five years old. His father would play Tracy Chapman’s debut self-titled album in his truck, and Combs has fond childhood memories associated with the song. Chapman stated last July, “I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there.” Her inclusion on the country charts preceded Beyoncé’s takeover with Cowboy Carter, and in some ways started opening the door.
Usher Puts On Nostalgic Superbowl Halftime Show Featuring Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Lil Jon
For the 2024 Super Bowl, Usher was tasked with bringing the entertainment to the Halftime Show. He billed it as a show “30 years in the making,” and this stellar music moment left everyone feeling nostalgic for his many hits. Usher brought along Alicia Keys to perform “My Boo” and “If I Ain’t Got You.” Additionally, for the showstopper “Yeah!,” he had to have Ludacris and Lil Jon on stage with him.
“It would be foolish to make it all the way to Las Vegas—Jon is here, Luda’s here—and not play ‘Yeah!’” Usher said in February when announcing part of his setlist. True, fans would have rioted if he had left out the 2004 mega-hit. As is stands, Usher put on a great show, even with some sound issues for those watching at home.
Beyoncé Becomes the First Black Woman to Hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart
With the release of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé made music moment history in the country world—she became the first Black woman to land at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. Previously, her single “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot Country chart, staying there for a week. But while the album release brought Beyoncé her eighth No. 1 album, it also opened up discourse and commentary on whether or not she’s “country enough.”
Barring the fact that she’s from Houston, Texas, and grew up around the culture, isn’t it enough to just make country music? Does there need to be a prerequisite to dabbling in country aesthetics and styles? Respect the culture, do your research, and pay tribute to those who came before you. But, essentially, just make country music if you want to. Beyoncé knew what she was doing when she made Cowboy Carter—it’s an art piece just like Renaissance, and she included homages to legendary artists like Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Linda Martell. What Cowboy Carter proves is that Queen Bey doesn’t do anything by accident, and she doesn’t do anything by halves.
The Rise of Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan has been in the game since around 2018, releasing EPs and singles showing off her incredible vocal talent. It wasn’t until 2023 that she released her debut full-length album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and it wasn’t until this year that she started rocketing to an intense level of fame. It all seemed to start around Coachella. Following the festival, everyone was talking about Chappell Roan—her music, her voice, her stage presence, and her amazing costumes.
Since then, Chappell has come under fire for setting strict boundaries with fans. She’s been vocal about the struggles with sudden meteoric fame, and she’s not afraid to speak up about toxic behavior in the music industry. But, she shouldn’t have to be fearless. She should be able to take breaks, and rest, and be scared if she needs to be. The backlash from people was surprising, and a lot of it comes down to the commodification of artists.
Still, Chappell Roan was named Best New Artist at the MTV VMAs, and she’s been setting global festival attendance records since the beginning of the year. Really, she’s on a rocket to the moon right now. If she wants to slow down and pump the brakes, her fans desperately need to be okay with that.
Kendrick Lamar Ends the Drake Feud with “Not Like Us”
The Drake–Kendrick Lamar feud had the world in a chokehold for about three months, with some publications claiming it’s still ongoing. However, the general consensus is that Kendrick Lamar brought the beef to an end with his explosive diss track “Not Like Us.” There were a total of 10 diss tracks hurled back and forth within three months, and “Not Like Us” essentially took Drake flat out.
Furthermore, Lamar performed a pop-out show in Inglewood, California. There, at the crowd’s insistence, he performed “Not Like Us” five times in a row. But it’s not enough that he’s a Pulitzer Prize winner and squashed the Drake beef with one song. He also had Crips and Bloods shaking hands and dancing together on stage, which should be proof of the restorative power of Kendrick Lamar’s music.
Taylor Swift Continues Eras Tour and Becomes a Billionaire
Taylor Swift has been on her Eras Tour since March 2023, but it’s all coming to an end on December 8. The tour itself was a major music moment, as she put on multiple-night shows, performed during storms, and occasionally altered local economies. However, the culmination of the Eras Tour truly came when Taylor Swift became a billionaire in October 2024. Say what you want about her music, her personality, or her fans—you can’t deny that she has an admirable business practice.
Sabrina Carpenter Takes Over the Airwaves with “Espresso,” Landing First No. 1
Sabrina Carpenter captured the world this summer with her songs “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.” Everyone was talking about “that’s that me espresso,” trying to decipher the strange lyrical turn of phrase. “Espresso” earned Carpenter her first No. 1 song, staying within the Top 3 for 14 weeks. Carpenter has since released her newest album, Short N’ Sweet, and embarked on a sexy, bedazzled tour. Again, everyone is talking about Sabrina Carpenter. She’s sweet, she’s saucy, she’s a little bit weird—she took everyone by storm seemingly out of nowhere.
The songs of the summer didn’t come from nowhere, though. Carpenter’s hits introduced the world to songwriter Amy Allen, who had a hand in every song on Carpenter’s new album. Allen’s witty, exasperated, idiosyncratic songwriting style had us all singing along to a sigh—”Isn’t that sweet / I guess so”—and the unstoppable combination of Amy Allen as writer and Sabrina Carpenter as performer brought new facets to pop music.
Brat Summer™
The absolute stranglehold that Charli XCX had on the world this summer is comparable to Beatlemania. With the release of her album Brat, Charli hurled us all into a hyper-sexualized, sweaty, clubby fugue state. That shade of chartreuse was everywhere, in everything. I’ve never seen more Arial font in my life. Low-resolution text on a puke-green background? Every brand and corporate entity immediately said “yes, please.” Charli’s imagery was hijacked for commercialization, but it was also used for infographics, important notices, and crucial information from organizations attempting to get eyes on their cause. It was a way to get ahold of the younger generation, to make them stop and look and acknowledge things.
Brat Summer™ became a cultural phenomenon. It bled into our lexicon and took over billboards and signs in coffee shop windows. It was an album, but it was also a pop culture movement. Brat was what you wore, how you spoke, and your overall attitude. Brat was a mindset.
Celine Dion Performs on the Eiffel Tower During Olympic Opening Ceremony
During the Olympic Opening Ceremony, Celine Dion braved the rain and her rare neurological disorder to give a stunning performance from the Eiffel Tower. She has been struggling with Stiff Person Syndrome since 2022, making it the focus of her recent documentary I Am: Celine Dion. However, with physical therapy and treatment, she was able to perform for the first time in two years. It was fitting that her first performance since 2022 was in France, on the Eiffel Tower, during the Olympics—a monumental stage for a monumental performer. Celine Dion will always be a legend, and she proved it that night in Paris.
Featured Image by Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images/John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
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